Love Yourself
by Telly
Summary: Years of abusive commentary has wormed around Kagome's soul. During those years she tried to prove herself worthy, but it hasn't went unnoticed. When enough is enough, it comes to a point where the group has to pick a side. Will confidence and peace be restored? Or will the disbanded group fall, becoming easy pickings for Naraku? Ratiing is subject to change. Also Romance/Drama
AN: I own nothing but the story line. Positive feedback will encourage me to write more.

But I can't help it,  
I'm not superhuman.  
I'm breaking;  
don't let me fall apart.

The burning tingling sensation in her hand eased the fiery emotion that built within her very soul the past few years. It was amazing how such a simple sentence could set her off despite hearing it countless of times. It wasn't that time of month and nothing extreme had happened recently. For some reason or another even Naraku had went MIA for the past few months. Perhaps this is the calm before the storm.

 _Why can't you be as good as Kikyou?!_

She almost smacked him again as his words continued to echo, bouncing around inside her head. From her peripheral vision she noticed Sango's hand twitched towards the hiraikotsu next to her. Miroku who happened to be near InuYasha decided to take this moment to be lured away by the child she just helped.

 _Kikyou wouldn't had done sumtin' so reckless!_

The fact he couldn't even put together a proper sentence to insult her with caused reiki to briefly flare out and with some sort of sick satisfaction, watching the inu hanyou step back and ears flatten against his head made her eyes shine with delight. "Kagome, I…"

She had enough.

"For five years, five years, all you done was bitch about how very unlike Kikyou I am when I do something that inconveniences you." A pause, just enough to push the depression further down in the corner of her mind and give more room to the deserved wrath Kagome was about to unleash. "And during that time, I actually felt bad and worked hard in the areas you considered me disgraceful."

She wasn't going to cry this time, she wasn't going. To. Cry.

"I am Kagome!"

Reiki flared to life once more in declaration making the hairs of the inu hanyou stand on end. Sparks of it flew past him and his expression formed into slight fear and regret. In Kagome's emotional fury, the poor kitsune kit scrambled off of her and closer to Sango at a distance that was safer. "I am going to walk away and if you dare to follow me, Kikyou won't have to drag you to hell once I'm done with you, You'll be so far in the ground you can just wait for her."

So many years wasted. Wasted on someone who was never going to see her in the light she deserved to be in. As Kagome walked away from him to grab her stuff, she tried to put her thoughts and bitterness at peace. She gathered bow and arrows and only pulled out a small floral printed bag out of the worn out yellow backpack. Despite being an emotional tidal wave and consumed by thoughts, Kagome was told herself she needs this.

"Shippo, let's go." She didn't look back or bother to check to see if the kit was following before turning towards left into the density of the trees and away from the clearing and safety of her friends.

"I jus' wanna keep her safe." InuYasha murmured, eyes downcast and his ears still flattened against his head. The comment was enough to get a more placid response from the demon slayer who was about go ahead and beat him in the ground.

Sango sighed and sat down her weapon, using it to lean forward against. "Comparing her to someone you used to love is not the way to express your feelings or to show your concern. InuYasha, I'm afraid you've really done it this time and when push comes to shove…"

"I STILL love Kikyou!" His whole body tensed with need to defend himself.

Sango reacted swiftly, heisting up hiraikotsu and launching it towards the demon. The force of the hit was only strong enough to knock InuYasha halfway to his knees, but once the giant boomerang was back in her grasp, she wasted to time launching another attack. InuYasha didn't bother fighting off the attacks and the blow forced his face down far enough that dirt went up his nose. He didn't have to see the sneer on Sango's face. The tone of her voice was final.

"Then fulfill your revenge by yourself."


End file.
